It also gives you a way to occupy your hands, helping you side-step your alcohol cravings. Pressure to drink (real or perceived) sober holidays can make some gatherings feel uncomfortable and downright stressful. Moments when friends ask why you’re not indulging in the spiked eggnog, or insist that you participate in a champagne-fueled toast on New Year’s Eve. You are free to skip a year and focus on yourself, specifically on your health and well-being. The best way to manage triggers is to avoid them altogether, especially early in recovery.
Strategies for Staying Sober Over the Holidays
People will often well-meaningly try to convince you to drink or even use, and they will hand you alcohol. If you aren’t https://ecosoberhouse.com/ prepared to cope and say no, you have to tell friends and family that. You may be able to ask close friends and family for an alcohol-free party or to keep you away from drugs and alcohol, but this will depend on how supportive they are of you.
Choose Recovery Over Addiction
This one is not necessarily vital to your recovery but it can be a fun and lasting way of enjoying the holidays sober. This could be hosting your own sober holiday party, purchasing some new board games, creating a holiday crafts table, going ice skating, and even volunteering. Your enjoyment of these new activities will be amplified by the knowledge that you are staying sober and spreading joy to others. The holidays aren’t just filled with parties, Santa, and Aunt Betty’s famous fudge. They’re also jam-packed with time-strapped travel, stress, and high expectations.
Stick to Your Routine
- You exist outside of yourself, and you begin to notice all the blessings your life already contains.
- Serve a meal at a homeless shelter, reach out to a newcomer at a meeting, spend time with an elderly loved one or neighbor.
- Life will take on a new meaning, and you will know happiness like you have never known before.
- Walk through potential party scenarios and how you will react.
- Browse our website to find a treatment center to contact today.
- Let this be an opportunity to grow and make better choices next time.
There are countless opportunities to serve your community during the holidays. Homeless shelters, recovery programs, community toy drives – volunteer to help others this season and stay out of your head. Participate in charitable giving or adopt someone who could use some holiday hope and cheer. Use the opportunity to engage deeper into your AA or recovery support group. Do something that is good for humanity and your recovery this season to avoid relapse. For people living in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, staying sober during the holidays can sometimes feel challenging.
You may deal with expectations of holiday perfection and demands on time and energy. Let’s not forget the usual holiday stress from shopping, decorating, baking, expenses, family dynamics, etc. It can be tempting to have “just one drink” to take the edge off. It’s been said that no plan survives contact with the enemy. Recognizing that self-care is as important as the other tasks on your to-do list can help put yourself at the top, and stop you from succumbing to holiday temptations.
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